Visible ssgnal device



(No Model.)

W. H. LANE & F. S. PERRIN.

VISIBLE SIGNAL D-BVIGE.

No. 520,365.; Patented May 22, 1894.

Fig. 4

ilnii'rn stares Arnrvr J w ich.

WILLIAM H. LANE, OF BROOKLYN, AND FREDERIC S. PERRIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO THE AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELE- GRAPH COMPANY, OF NEWV YORK.

VISHBLE sacrum. names.

srncrrrcn'rron forming part of Letters Patent ltd 520,365, dated May 22, 1894.. Application filed March 12, 1894 Serial No. 503,328. (No model.)

1'0 a, 2011,0122, it may concern:

Be it known that we, WI LIAM H. LANE, of Brooklyn, and FREDERIC S. PERRIN, of New York, Y., have invented certain Improvements in Visible SignalDevices, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to visible signal de vices employed in electrical circuits for the purpose of calling attention to the line with which they are associated, and to indicate to an attendant any prearranged signal.

The invention relates to a special form of electromagnetic visible signals, denominated automatic resetting annunciators or signals, In which the display and also the withdrawal of the slgnal are controlled by the attraction and retraction of the armature of the magnet.

The special object of our invention is to prov1de a signal device which will quickly attract the eye by totally changing the appearance of the target, or more specifically by changing the color of the target from a complete surface of one color to a complete surface of another color, the two colors being distinctively different from one another.

The invention also relates to a special form of target without pivots, by means of which all trouble occasioned by dust and friction of parts is obviated.

Our signal device consists of an electromagnet, preferably of a single helix, one pole of which is enlarged to form active faces parallel with the core, and of armatures of very thin sheet iron secured to the opposite end of the core and extending forward so that when attracted they are substantially parallel with the length thereof. These armatures are in inductive proximity to the enlarged pole piece, and atthelr free ends are hen t i nwardl y to form slgnal shutters or targets, in the rear of an apertured face plate, through the aperture of which thcy are displayed. In the rear of the face plate, and extending across its aperture are cars having their ends secured permanentlyto the back of the said plate. Normally when the ar'matures are retracted by their own resiliency from the inductive polar extension or enlargement, a portion on the surface of one of the said si at shutters or targets, which is gm behind the cross-bars, in

visible between them and this portion of the surface of the shutter is colored to correspond with that of the bars, so as to display-at the plate aperture a surface or expanse of uniform color. When thc'armatures are attracted toward the polar extension, other shutters, targets, or bars come into view at the plate aperture and obscure or cover the aforesaid shutter and bars, and the shutters or targets thus brought into view present a distinctively through the helix; and upon the cessation thereof the armatures are retracted, exhibiting once more the surfaces bearing the normal color, all of which I will now proceed to describe and point out in detail in the claims,

Of the accompanying drawings Figure 1- isa side view of the invention, showing the face plate in section. Fig. 2 is a front view of a face plate showing three apertures. Fig. 3 is a. perspective view; of the armatures detached from the helix, and Figs. 4 and 5 illus- '75 trate the operation of the signal device when included in electric circuits.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3-A is an electro-magnet the core of which is enlarged or extended at one end P, to provide inductive or attractive surfaces m, y.

B and B"arearmatu res preferably made of one piece of thin sheet iron, bent as shown,

to embrace the end 0 of the helix spool, and

secured thereto by the screw S. The armatures extend forward over the polar exten sion P, and flare slightly away therefroimand at their ends bend inwardly to form targets I or shutters; the armature B terminates in target 0, and armature B in target (I. Tlhe ar- 0 mature I5 is provided with a duplicate target e, consisting of-a piece of sheet iron secured thereto ata little distance inward from the target 0.

F, is a face plate, which in a strip or" row 5 of visible signals, extends in front of them all, and has apertures f through which the targets are displayed; slightly in the rear of this plate are the cross bars I and a, which they be of metal; these are secured to the rec plate, the space between the plate and the bars being suflicient for the targets c and (l to move freely in without touching.

In the position shown in Fig. 1, where the armatures B and B are retracted, the surface of the bars a and b and the lower surface 9 of the target e cover the aperture f, and these surfaces are painted the same color and constitute a solid or uniform color signal; when the armatures are attracted to the surfaces of the polar extension P, the targets and 01 move in front of and cover the bars I) and a respectively, and the upper surface 6' of the target e, moves down and covers the space between the bars, and as the surfaces of the targets 0 and (Z and the upper surface e of target e are painted the same color, a solid color signal is again seen at the aperture f.

The co or signals are sufficiently distinctive in colo. to readily and quickly catch the eye, as for example the normal solid color may be white, and the abnormal color be red, black or blue.

Fig. 4 illustrates our visual signal in connection with a line L operated by a key K, and serves as a'type of hotel or other annunciator systems, and Fig. 5 shows the signal in connection with switchboards.

L represents a trunk wire between two switchboards,J' being the spring jack of the calling end connected by plug P to ground through battery B, and J a connecting springjack at the apposite end of the wire.

Of conrsei'wit'hout departing from the spirit of our invention we may by the same or closely similar meansjprovide that the signal shall be given by changing from a normal solid color to a barred surface formed of two or more colorsorf'vice versa.

Having now fully described our invention, we claim- 1. An arfnunciathr or visible signal indicator consisting of an electro magnethaving armatures provided with signal shutters or targets, as described upon their free ends; and an apertured face plate, provided with bars across its aperture, as set forth; whereby when the armatures are retracted, a normal color is displayed at the aperture, and when the armatures are attracted to the electromagnet a surface of different color is displayed at the said aperture, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. An annunciator or visible signal indicator, consisting of an electro-magnet having armatures secured to one pole of the electromagnet and in inductive relation with the other pole thereof, and provided with signal shutters or targets as described, upon their free ends; and an apertured face plate provided with bars across its aperture, as set forth; whereby when the armatures are re tracted a normal color is displayed at the aperture, and when the art'natures are attracted to the electro-magne't a surface of different color or colors is displayed thereat, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. An annunciator or visible signal indicator, consisting of an electro-magnet with a polar extension,having two armatures of thin elastic iron secured to one pole of the electromagnet and extending forward in inductive relation with the said polar extension, their ends being provided with signal shutters or targets as described; and an apertured face plate provided with rigid or immovable bars across its aperture as set forth; the said shutters and bars being colored as described; whereby when the armatures are retracted a normal color is displayed at the said aperture, and when the armatures are attracted to the polar extension a different color is displayed thereat.

4. A visible signal device comprising an. actuating electro magnet, spring armatures carrying signal targets, and an apertured face plate, and means as indicated, for the display at said face plate of two distinctive signals, said meanscoinprising for one signal rigid bars of given color crossing the aperture of saidface plate, and a correspondingly colored section of one of the armature targets normally placed to show itself between the said bars; and for the second signal two other diversely colored targets carried by the two armatures respectively, and arranged to move in front of the said colored bars, and a correspondingly colored separate section of the first named target arranged to replace-the first named section thereof,substanti-ally as specified.

5. An annunciator or visual signal indicator, comprising an electro-magnet, an apertured face plate in front of said magnet, a display surface of uniform color normally visible through said aperture, and armatures for said magnet carrying targets or shutters .movable toward each other by the attraction of said armatures, and thereby displaying a surface colored in contrast with that of the normal color signal, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 8th day of March, 1894.

WILLIAM H. LANE.

FREDERIC S. PERRIN. \Vitnesses:

HENRY W. MAY, W. H. FREEMAN. 

